Start your day

June 21, 2016

Start your day with better posture and see the difference it makes throughout your day. As soon as you wake up in the morning, do this simple circuit to ensure that your core and postural muscles are activated to support you all day.

You'll be amazed at the surge of extra energy you get and the added bonus of burning calories as your body recovers, all before breakfast.

Exercise #1: Side-Step Squat

Start with your arms across your chest in an X pattern and feet shoulder width apart.

Step out with your right leg and sit down and back into a squat (be sure to keep your weight in your heels, making sure that your knees do NOT cross your toes and keeping your chest upright)

Come back to a standing position by pushing through the quads and glute of the leg that moved.

Repeat on the opposite side and continue alternating legs for 60 seconds.

Exercise #2: Wide-Grip Incline Push-ups

I like to do this with my hands on the bed to add an element of instability, to increase muscle activation, but you can use any elevated surface or even a set of stairs.

Get into push-up position with your hands set 2X wider than shoulder width. Be sure that your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles stay in a straight line throughout the motion.

Proceed with push-ups for 60 seconds, or until you reach muscular fatigue.

Exercise #3: Bridge With Adductor Squeeze

Lying on your back, bend your knees to 90 degrees with your heels on the floor.

Take a ball, or pillow, and place it between your knees and squeeze your knees together to keep the ball in place through the full motion.

Raise your hips as high towards the ceiling as you can using your hamstrings (back of thighs) and glutes until you reach full extension. Hold for a 2 count, then lower yourself just enough to touch the floor and then go right back up. Repeat for 60 seconds.

Exercise #4: Middle Trap/Lower Trap

Standing in a half-squat position, with feet shoulder width apart, hinge from the hips, keeping your back flat, and lower your chest towards the floor.

Now, holding the same starting position, turn your palms towards each other and thumbs up as you raise your arms in front of you into a V pattern by rolling your shoulder blades backwards.

Return to starting position and alternate between these 2 movements for 60 seconds.

Exercise #5: Rotational Plank

Assume push-up position on the floor (can be done on an incline, just like the push-ups, if difficulty level is too high)

Shift all of your bodyweight onto 1 hand and slowly rotate your entire body as you extend 1 arm towards the ceiling to end in a T position.

Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Alternate sides for 60 seconds.

For some people these exercises may seem basic and for others they may be challenging, but I can assure you that this 5 minute circuit, done first thing in the morning, will benefit everyone.

If you're looking for alternatives for any of these exercises, or would like to take this circuit to the next level, click the link below and we'll send you a complimentary DVD with hundreds of possibilities.